1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of devices for cleaning fragile items such as eggs. Normally these items are conveyed and organized or accumulated into rows extending across the conveyor. They are then passed through various egg processing configurations including cleaning mechanisms.
In egg cleaning embodiments cleaning spray is dispensed upon the eggs and the eggs are brought into contact with one or more brushes for cleaning the exterior surface thereof when traveling between a hen house and the egg packing stations. Eggs are particularly dirty including blood, dirt, feces and other unwanted contaminants on the external surface thereof immediately after the eggs are laid in a hen house and this washing step is an important step prior to candling and/or packing of the eggs. These washing stations normally extend for long sections of as long as 18or more feet to achieve proper and thorough cleaning of the exterior surface of the eggs. The present invention provides a means for minimizing the footprint or floor space usage area of such egg washing apparatus designs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous patents have been granted for the purpose of cleaning fragile or other articles similar to eggs such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,113,190 issued Oct. 13, 1914 to W. A. Brandt on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing And Rinsing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,205,117 issued Nov. 14, 1916 to G. T. Stamm on a xe2x80x9cMachine For Washing Fruitxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,423,059 issued Jul. 18, 1922 to C. J. Williamson and assigned to Williamson Machine Company on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Washing And Cleaning Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,347 issued Jun. 16, 1925 to C. McCullough on an xe2x80x9cEgg-Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,723,441 issued Aug. 6, 1929 to J. H. Richards on a xe2x80x9cMachine For Cleaning Fruitxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,777,039 issued Sep. 30, 1930 to H. B. Hatch and assigned to Florida Citrus Machinery Company on a xe2x80x9cRubbing Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,924 issued Nov. 11, 1930 to H. A. Ingraham on a xe2x80x9cFruit Cleaning Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,955,749 issued Apr. 24, 1934 to L. E. Jones and assigned to Food Machinery Corporation on a xe2x80x9cBrushing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,275 issued Jun. 26, 1934 to P. Secondo on a xe2x80x9cFruit Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,035,587 issued Mar. 31, 1936 to H. J. Brandenburg on a xe2x80x9cTransverse Fruit Brusherxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,474 issued Nov. 7, 1939 to F. Stebler and assigned to Food Machinery Corporation on a xe2x80x9cFruit Treating Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,183,033 issued Dec. 12, 1939 to O. E. Segrin on a xe2x80x9cCandy Brushing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,199,831 issued May 7, 1940 to T. G. Cunning and assigned to Brogdex Company on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Rubbing or Brushing Fruit And The Likexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,301,931 issued Nov. 17, 1942 to R. S. Davis on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,371,867 patented Mar. 20, 1945 to J. R. Rayles and assigned to Industrial Patents Corporation on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,412,565 patented Dec. 17, 1946 to R. S. Davis on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,475 issued Jun. 1, 1948 to O. W. Swanson on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,331 issued Jan. 16, 1951 to R. H. Ruzsicska on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,730 issued Mar. 4, 1952 to H. A. Hutchinson et al and assigned to Hutchinson on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,588,787 issued Mar. 11, 1952 to F. B. Wright and assigned to Research Corporation on an xe2x80x9cEgg Drierxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,901 issued to A. Markusen et al on Mar. 31, 1953 on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machine And Roller Thereforxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,209 issued Jun. 2, 1953 to G. W. Johnson and assigned to Gordon Johnson Company on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,673,361 issued Mar. 30, 1954 to E. E. McCutchan and assigned to Robert E. Mccutchan and Donald S. McCutchan on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washerxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,746 issued Apr. 18, 1961 to C. H. Willsey and assigned to Seymour Foods, Inc. on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,135 issued Aug. 14, 1962 to H. Y. Kuhl et al on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleanerxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,848 issued Aug. 6, 1963 to P. A. Mountz and assigned to Lathan Manufacturing Company on an xe2x80x9cArticle Washerxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,435 issued Aug. 31, 1965 to J. S. Kurtz and assigned to Automatic Poultry Feeder Company on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,607 issued May 24, 1966 to B. W. Rose et al and assigned to FMC Corporation on a xe2x80x9cMachine For Handling Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,419 issued Oct. 31, 1967 to H. Y. Kuhl et al on xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Equipmentxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,817 issued Jan. 2, 1968 to J. E. Halverson on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Machinexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,414 issued Jul. 16, 1968 to J. C. Cathcart on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,290 issued Sep. 30, 1975 to W. S. Peppler and assigned to Diamond International Corporation on a xe2x80x9cMethod And Means For Washing Eggs, Including Tilted Brushesxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,667 issued Aug. 10, 1976 to A. Jellema et al and assigned to Staalkat B.V. on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Vertically Transporting Eggs Or Like Articlesxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,977 issued Jul. 7, 1981 to H. J. van Kattenbrock and assigned to Moba Holding Barneveld B.V. on a xe2x80x9cDistribution And Conveyor Apparatus For Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,623 issued Feb. 19, 1985 to J. B. Kuhl and assigned to Henry Y. Kuhl on an xe2x80x9cEgg Cleaning Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,867 issued Oct. 13, 1987 to H. Kuhl on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Means Using Staggered Sized Flat Brushesxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,868 issued Oct. 13, 1987 to H. Y. Kuhl on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Conveyor Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,755 issued Nov. 10, 1987 to J. B. Kuhl on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Cleaning Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,015 issued Dec. 27, 1988 to J. van der Schoot et l and assigned to Staalkat B.V. on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Cleaning Eggs And Like Articlesxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,956 issued Jan. 22, 1991 to J. van der Schoot and assigned to Staalkat B.V. on a xe2x80x9cWashing Machine Vapor Exhaustxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,100 issued Aug. 31, 1993 to H. Elferink et al and assigned to FPS Food Processing Systems B.V. on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Receiving Or Transferring, Vertically Transporting And Delivering Articles Such As Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,493 issued May 19, 1998 to J. G. Wiersma and assigned to Nouveau Technologies, Inc. on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Decontamination Processxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,139 issued May 26, 1998 to A. J. Harvey et al and assigned to Solvay Interox Limited on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing And Disinfection Processxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,378 issued Jun. 2, 1998 to J. Kristensen and assigned to Sanovo Engineering A/S on a xe2x80x9cMachine For Washing Eggsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,424 issued Feb. 29, 2000 to J. McEvoy et al and assigned to Diamond Automations, Inc. on a xe2x80x9cHigh-speed Egg Processing System And Methodxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,311 issued Mar. 7, 2000 to K. Nambu and assigned to Nambu Electric Co., Ltd. on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and European Patent EP0328222 B1 issued May 22, 1991 to J. Derksen on an xe2x80x9cEgg-Washerxe2x80x9d; and European Patent EP0388071 A1 issued Sep. 19, 1990 to R. Palmer on an xe2x80x9cEgg-Cleaning Apparatus And Methodxe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP07016033 A issued Jan. 20, 1995 to K. Kiyoshi et al on a xe2x80x9cMethod For Washing Egg, Egg Washer And System For Treating Shell Eggxe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JPZ10117626 A issued May 12, 1998 to T. Masao on an xe2x80x9cEgg Washing And Drying Devicexe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP11146741 A issued Jun. 2, 1999 to W. Daisuke on a xe2x80x9cWasher For Eggxe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP11155413 A issued Jun. 15, 1999 to Y. Takeshi et al on an xe2x80x9cEgg Treating Machinexe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP200100070892 A issued Mar. 21, 2001 to H. Shinichi on a xe2x80x9cWashing Method By Combination Of Spiral Rotary Brush And Cylindrical Rotary Brushxe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP11235135 A issued Aug. 31, 1999 to S. Hisahide on an xe2x80x9cEgg Shell Washing And Sterilizing Apparatusxe2x80x9d; and Japanese Patent JP2001045904 A issued Feb. 20, 2001 to A. Nobuo et al on a xe2x80x9cMethod For Washing Egg And Device For Washing Eggxe2x80x9d.
The present invention provides a multi-tiered egg washing apparatus which is vertically oriented with the individual washing stations positioned vertically above one another. The device includes preferably a housing means defining an inlet wall and an outlet wall separated from one another in such a manner as to define a washing chamber therebetween within the housing. The inlet wall further defines an inlet opening to allow entry of eggs into the washing chamber for cleaning. The outlet wall defines an outlet opening to allow exiting of eggs from the washing chamber after cleaning.
The inlet opening and the outlet opening and the washing chamber are preferably all in fluid flow communication with respect to one another to allow eggs to enter, be washed and exit from the housing while at the same time allowing cleaning fluids to contact the eggs at all washing stations therein.
The washing chamber preferably includes an upper section, an intermediate section and a lower section with the upper section being at the highest elevation and the lower section being at the lowest elevation. The inlet opening is positioned within the upper section of the washing chamber and the outlet opening is positioned within the lower section of the washing chamber in order to allow the eggs to enter and use gravity to facilitate flow and movement from one conveyor to the next and from one washing station to the next.
A first conveyor is preferably positioned within the upper section of the housing chamber. This conveyor is adapted to receive eggs after passing thereof through the inlet for conveying them generally away from the inlet wall toward the outlet wall. This first conveying means preferably comprises a open mesh belt configuration that can be of a plastic or other material. It has been found to facilitate supporting and movement of eggs during this initial conveying step. Other belts could be used but this is the preferred type of belt for this first conveyor.
An intermediate egg washing device may also be positioned within the intermediate section to facilitate cleaning of eggs being conveyed therethrough. This intermediate egg washing device can include preferably spraying nozzles for dispensing cleaning solution upon the eggs conveyed thereadjacent and preferably will also include some type of a brush for cleaning the external surface of the eggs. Such brush can comprise a cylindrical brush, or a flat brush, or end brushes for specifically cleaning the ends of the eggs.
A second conveyor is preferably included for receiving eggs from the first conveyor and conveying thereof generally away from the outlet wall toward the inlet wall through the intermediate section to allow washing thereof by the intermediate egg washing means. The second conveyor is preferably oriented such as to move in a direction generally opposite relative to the first conveyor thereabove in order to facilitate washing of eggs traveling thereon. To facilitate this transition, the second conveyor can include an intermediate angular transition conveyor which is adapted to receive eggs after traveling through the upper section to facilitate movement thereof onto the second conveyor. This intermediate angular transition conveyor is preferably angled downwardly from the upper section toward the intermediate section in order to facilitate downward movement of eggs from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.
A lower washing station is positioned within the lower section for facilitating cleaning of eggs being conveyed therethrough. A third conveyor is adapted to receive eggs from the intermediate conveyor for conveying thereof generally away from the inlet wall toward the outlet wall through the lower section to allow washing thereof by the lower egg washing station. The third conveyor is preferably oriented to move in a direction generally opposite relative to the second conveyor thereabove to facilitate washing of eggs traveling thereon and minimize the footprint of the apparatus. The third conveyor preferably includes a lower angular transition conveyor which is adapted to receive eggs after being conveyed through the intermediate section for urging movement thereof onto the third conveyor. The third angular transition conveyor is preferably oriented such as to be angled downwardly from the intermediate section toward the lower section in order to facilitate downward movement of eggs from the intermediate conveyor to the third conveying means.
In the present invention it is preferred but not required to include a pre-washing apparatus. Preferably this apparatus will be positioned within the upper section of the washing chamber for pre-washing of eggs traveling therethrough upon the first conveyor. This pre-washer, if included, will preferably have a plurality of pre-washing nozzles positioned above the first conveyor for wetting of eggs being conveyed through the upper section in order to facilitate washing.
The apparatus of the present invention can further include an accumulator positioned between the first and second conveyors. The accumulator is adapted to receive eggs from the first conveyor for dividing thereof into rows of separately positioned eggs for conveying thereof to facilitate egg washing. The inclusion of this accumulator is optional.
The accumulator will preferably be for the purpose of delivering eggs onto the second conveyor and for this purpose will include a separate accumulator conveyor means. This accumulator conveyor is adapted to receive eggs from the first conveyor for unstacking thereof and organizing thereof within the accumulator. Preferably the accumulator conveying means will be operated at a surface movement speed which is greater than the speed of the movement surface of the first conveyor in order to facilitate organizing of eggs arranged separately, individually and in rows by the accumulator. The accumulator can also include an accumulator head for dividing of the eggs into individual rows.
The apparatus of the present invention can be used for various methods of washing eggs but will preferably initially convey a plurality of eggs to be washed upon a plastic opened mesh conveyor belt through the upper section of an egg washing chamber in a primary direction. The eggs will then optionally be pre-washed during this first conveying by the spraying of a cleaning solution by a plurality of nozzles from above onto the eggs as they are first conveyed through the upper section of the egg washing chamber. The eggs are then transported from the first conveyor to an accumulating conveyor. These eggs are then accumulated into rows of individual eggs stacked singly prior to movement to the second conveyor. The eggs are then moved from the accumulating conveyor to the second conveyor when so organized. This second conveyor is positioned therebelow in the intermediate section of the washing chamber below the upper section. An intermediate angular transition conveying of the eggs can be included oriented on a downward incline after the first conveyor to facilitate movement of eggs from the upper section of the egg washing chamber to the intermediate section thereof to facilitate second conveying.
This second conveying of the so moved eggs will be conducted in a secondary direction which is oriented generally oppositely relative to the primary direction to facilitate egg washing. The eggs are washed at an intermediate egg washing station during this second conveying movement to remove unwanted contaminants from the exterior thereof. The eggs so conveyed are then relocated from the second conveyor onto the third conveyor positioned therebelow in the lower section of the washing chamber. This relocation can be enhanced by the lower angular transition conveying of the eggs on a downwardly oriented incline after the second conveying is completed to facilitate gradual movement of the eggs from the intermediate section of the egg washing chamber to the lower section of the egg washing chamber.
In the lower section of the egg washing chamber third conveying of the relocated eggs is conducted in the primary direction at an elevation immediately below the intermediate section for facilitating further egg washing. The eggs are then washed in the lower washing station during third conveying thereof through the lower section of the egg washing chamber to facilitate removal of unwanted contaminants on the exterior surface of the eggs. Thereafter the washing of the eggs is completed and the eggs will exit from the washing chamber at a location below the height when they first entered immediately prior to first conveying thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein the use of floor space is minimized by providing multiple vertically stacked washing stations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein cleaning solution can be recycled.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein the same cleaning solution can be used for various different stations vertically oriented within the egg washing chamber.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein eggs are carried upon multiple conveyors stacked vertically above one another in generally oppositely oriented directions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein as much as 18 or more feet of linear egg washing can be achieved within a six foot long or shorter floor space footprint.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein pre-washing can be optionally included to minimize adherence of dirt and retention problems of contaminants resulting from drying thereof on the external surfaces of eggshells.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing eggs by conveying thereof upon multiple conveyors through washers which are vertically tiered wherein many different types of egg washing brushes can be utilized at the various stations within the vertically tiered washing stations of the present invention.